Warnings: Rating M, swearing, child abuse, if this type of thing offends you then DO NOT READ! This is a fictional story and nothing more. This rating will be staying the same nothing will change, so please take note.

Chap 17: The Walk.

Marik once again woke to having a foot in his ribs and his hair pulled and the puppy Milly laying on his lap sound asleep. Marik managed to pull his arm out from under Ryou without waking him and rubbed at his eyes and glanced at his clock on the nightstand that read 5:49 am.

Fuck, it was just to early for anything, he relaxed back down and removed Malik's foot from his ribs, the boy rolled over as silent as ever. Milly yawned and shook her head the soft jingle of her collar filled the room, but she drifted off to sleep once again. Ryou rolled over letting go of Marik's hair. He was never going to have this bed to himself again.

It was some time later a small bark made Marik jumped awake in his bed and looked about the room, this time it was much lighter and he was alone in the room. Milly waddled up over Marik's body to lick at his face with wagging tail. "Not now!" Marik growled and pushed her away as he sat up. The puppy jumped off the bed clumsily and ran out of the room, Marik stretched and pulled on his long sleeve top and soon followed the puppy downstairs.

He walked by the living room to see Ryou bouncing about in front of the t.v singing along with the child's program hosts. Wearing just long black pants and matching top Marik opened the front door slipping his feet into his boots, Ra his cat burst into the house, a little wet from the new fallen snow and headed right for the fireplace. Marik glanced about his front yard; he stepped out and walked down his path to collect his morning paper and any other mail.

Once he had what he was after he turned back towards the house, he stopped and frowned at seeing footprints in the fresh snow leading up to his house and then leading around t to back, had someone been sneaking about his house at some point last night? "Hi Marik?!" Came a call.

Marik looked over to his right to see his neighbour waving at him. "Hey Mako." And approached the fence line.

"Hey." The tall dark haired male greeted again but his expression was a serious one. Mako to Marik was the perfect neighbour. Mako was quiet as he worked nights and slept days running his night coffee shop in the city; he had no kids and wasn't married and had no pets. "Did you notice anything off this morning?" He asked.

"Like what?" Marik shot back and did he mention that Mako was in the nosey side of things which came in handy as the guy never missed the going-ons in the street, even when he was sleeping days, one call see Mako peeking out his window to see what was going on, then afterwards threaten them to keep the noise down.

"I saw someone snooping about your house this morning when I came home from work." Mako rubbed at his chin, knowing Marik's profession as a Detective. "He said he was looking for his cat. But it was like five this morning."

"Did you recognized him at all from the street?" Marik asked his Detective side coming out in him and his tone became more business like.

"Never seen him before, he had a weird hair cut though, kinda pointed in the front and a little young about twenty or so." Marik frowned as he tried to get a mental picture of what this guy would look like.

"You've never seen him before?" Marik asked and he gave a shiver rubbing his arms for a little warmth, as his top wasn't much protection against the cold light breeze.

"No, he might have been from the next street over, cats travel far from home when they want." Mako yawned covering it with his hand, as Marik turned and glanced at the footprints in the snow. "Just thought you should know." Mako turned away from the fence. "Night Marik." He said with a wave.

"Thanks Mako." Marik called out over his shoulder as he decided to look about the outside of house for anything missing, moved or broken.

The phone let out it's shrill ringing, Ryou paused in his singing and clapping his hands together staring at the device in the hallway as no one had answered it yet… well Kura was busy with Malik in the kitchen and Milly was somewhere outside in the back yard and Daddy was outside. Mind made up. Ryou walked up to the phone, never taking his eyes off it, he gave another quick glance about for anyone who might be rushing for the phone, not seeing anyone. Ryou had heard this many times and knew what he was doing.

He picked up the receiver and taking in a deep breath as he placed it to his ear and in a chipper voice said. "Hello? This is my Daddy's house, I'm Ryou talking." He waited a few seconds but nothing came from the other end. "I said Hello." Ryou frowned not sure on what to do now and getting a little frustrated added. "You're being rude." He informed them of indeed being rude for not answering when being talked to, Ryou thought whoever it was needed to be educated on this fact, and promptly said in a stern voice. "You're meant to say hello back when someone is talking to you or no one is going to talk to you or be your friend." Again nothing. Ryou pouted getting a little upset that the person on the other end didn't want to talk back to him.

At first, answering the phone had made him feel very important and helping his Dad out. "I'm telling my Daddy on you." Before Ryou could call out for Marik a females voice came over the line, though at first it was a little broken up but it came in clear after a few short seconds.

'Ryou is that you?!' She said sounding a little surprised.

"I'm Ryou." The child's hand shot up into the air as if answering a question asked by a teacher and smiled brightly as if the person could see him and his mood now changed to.

'Sorry honey, bad connection, my cell is about to go out on me again. Listen sweet one, tell Marik I'm going to be just a little late.'

Ryou wrinkled his nose up a little confused as he didn't know who he was talking too and asked. "You know my Daddy?"

'Ryou, it's me Isis. Can you tell him...'

"Hello!" Ryou said again giving her a proper happy greeting now that he knew exactly who he was talking too, and not realizing that he had also cut her off from what she was trying to tell him. "Daddy is outside being busy getting his letters." He informed her pointing to the front door that was open just a little.

'Okay, but can you...'

"You are coming over to see us?" Ryou was now bouncing on the balls of his feet, talking on the phone had proved to be a lot of fun and it made him feel a little more grown up. "And Rishid too?"

'Yes we are, but I need you to tell Marik that I'm going to be…'

"Ryou, what are you doing?" Marik asked as he took off his boots and walked up to the child. "You shouldn't answer the phone." He said worriedly that Ryou may have randomly called someone in a game of fun or was talking to someone from his office or a stranger.

"But it's Auntie Isis." Ryou smiled up at him holding up the phone, even though Isis was still trying to get her message across was going unnoticed by both Ryou and her brother. "She said she has a late connection and can't come 'cause she is going out on me again." Marik raised an eyebrow, what was the boy on about? If Marik wasn't confused before he sure as hell was now.

"That's not the point Ryou." Marik said sternly still trying to work out what Ryou was on about. "I don't want you to answer the phone, it could be anyone and it's not safe."

Ryou getting it muddled up and not seeing that Marik meant business had added happily. "It's Auntie Isis." He stated as if it was going to make everything all right again.

"No Ryou." Marik knelt down to his eye level, Ryou's eyes widened. "I'm saying that it could have been anybody on the phone that you don't know."

"But I do know, its Auntie Isis. She said so." Ryou said biting his lip, was he going to get into trouble for this? Tears burned his eyes and threatened to fall, he knew he had done a good thing and he had tried his best to take his Auntie's message.

"Ryou…" Marik started again, but stopped at seeing the tears fill the boy's eyes and knowing he wasn't going to win this one, gave up and said. "Thank you." Ryou giggled throwing his arms about Marik's neck in a hug and then rushed off. Marik shook his head and stood up. He would have to explain the dangers in talking to strangers a little better to the child. "Hello?!" Marik thought he would see whoever had called in the first place would still be on the line.

'About time!' Isis snapped at him.

"Shit your still on here?!" Marik raised an eyebrow how long had she been talking to Ryou or even holding the line to talk to him?

'Yes I'm still on here, now listen, I'm going to be a little late today, so don't worry. I have everything you need, but my car has broken down and I'm waiting on a repair guy...' Suddenly there was a lot of noise in the background and it had sounded like his Sister had greeted someone then the line went dead.

"Isis?!" He called out. "Hey Isis?!" Marik tried again calling out for her over the line, he did this a few more times and then reluctantly hung up after he had gotten nothing but a dial tone. He then tried to call her back, but the phone had been turned off. Marik frowned at the receiver in his hand as if giving it the hated stare would make the lines connect again. It unnerved him that he couldn't get back through to her, because Isis never turned off her phone and she always had it charged and on… even when she was at home. He would call her again in a few minutes just to be sure she was okay, with everything that had happened to his family in the last few years he couldn't help but worry, he then turned and walked into the kitchen.

Marik almost tripped over Malik who greeted him with a hot mug of coffee and a big smile. "He made it for you." Bakura said, picking up another two mugs off the counter and placing them on the table. "Ryou, drink!" He called out, a few minutes later Ryou came bouncing into the room and climbed up onto the chair then taking his hot drink.

"Thank you." Marik said as he took the mug from Malik and ruffled his hair, the child smiled happily enough and walked over to the table to have his drink and watching Marik closely to see if he would drink what he had made.

Marik not thinking twice took a sip and found it to be quite nice, sat down with them at the table for a short time. The need for food soon came and the boy's were hungry. Once again the cooking of breakfast was like a carnival sideshow for Malik and Ryou, who would smile or clap every time Marik flipped a pancake and catch it again in the pan only to do it again or toss them onto the stack of other pancakes onto a plate with another simple flip, both Malik and Ryou were very amused.

A little later Marik had tried calling his sister back a few times and still didn't get through, when the four had finished up on breakfast the doorbell rang. "That'll be Rishid." Marik said as the oldest sibling had called to say he was on his way. Marik winced as his older brother was announced by Ryou's excited squeals as he rushed to greet the man at the door practically tackling him into a hug before said man could get in through the door. Milly happily yapping at his heels and bouncing in after him only added to Ryou's excitement and upped his volume of squeals. It was true, no one could miss anybody turning up here, Ryou's squeals were enough to wake the dead, but still it was a nice sound to hear. Marik sighed walking over to his fridge and started to clean up, the only one missing was Malik's voice. 'All in good time.' Marik thought to himself.

Putting back a few things, he scanned over the food and drinks that were jam packed into his fridge for the day. "Damn." Marik growled as he backed out of the fridge as he realized he was missing a few things that were needed.

"What?!" Rishid asked concerned as he was bouncing Ryou in his arms, Malik ran up to him with his arms out wanting to be picked up as well.

"I'm out of a few things and Isis is already on her way over here." Marik glanced about. "I'm going to have to go out and get them… I'm not going to have enough time for this."

"I'll take Milly for a walk and get you whatever you need from the shop." Bakura said placing his empty plate into the sink. "Save you some work." The boy offered, Malik pulled away before Rishid could pick him up staring at Bakura.

"I'm not sure." Marik frowned, knowing that Bakura was still getting over his injuries and didn't want him falling over and hurting himself again on some ice while he was out on his own.

"It's a ten minute walk." Bakura said sounding like he really wanted to go and get out for a bit, in truth he wasn't so used to being kept indoors for so long.

"It's not far and the doctor did say he needed his walks to help with healing." Rishid reminded his younger brother, he also gave Bakura a push out of the room to get his things together.

"I know but…" Marik trailed off still thinking about it not sure what he should do, Malik dashed from the room following Bakura.

"What are you going to do, keep him prisoner for the rest of his life?" Rishid walked around the counter. "You have everything else to get ready and your guests are going to start arriving soon, you don't have time to do it all yourself."

"Okay, okay." Marik gave into the pressure of his brother, Bakura walked in ready to go with Milly on a leash and Malik at his side holding his other hand looking up at him. "Alright you know where it is?" Marik asked him making sure that Bakura wouldn't get lost on his way.

"Yes." Bakura nodded his head; he had seen it a few times while in the car with Marik. "Malik wants to come with me." The child nodded his head with a smile. Marik for one was never happier to see the boy smiling again and almost back to his normal quiet self again.

"Me too!" Ryou called out as he was placed down on his feet taking Bakura's hand in his.

Marik was about to protest about the three boys all going to together on their own, but Rishid coughed out loudly the word 'trust' into his hand and continued to cough a few more times into his hand. Marik glared at him knowing what his brother was doing, Bakura smirked catching on, and Ryou giggled finding it funny.

"Okay." Marik sighed, Ryou squealed happily and jumped about taking Malik's hand and pulling him out of the room, Bakura followed pocketing the money. "But put on your jackets, mittens and scarves!" Marik called out but it fell on def ears as the front door closed.

Marik got started on getting everything ready, he had Yami and his son coming over to play with Ryou and Malik, Seto and Duke were coming, his sister, Mai, Shizuka and his Mom. So he would have a full house and very little time to get ready.

Bakura counted up the money Marik had given him in his hand. "Kura I want to walk Milly now." Ryou whined from beside him. "It's my turn now." Bakura rolled his eyes and handed over the leash, Ryou let go of Malik's hand to take the leash.

Bakura noticed just how packed the small shopping area was, cars were at a stand still on the road, people rushed about to get last minute Christmas shopping done. "Kura look!" Ryou yelled out at the top of his lungs making a few people jump in fright and look at him then glare at Bakura as the small child pointed to the Santa standing at the corner of the street, shaking his bell and asking for donations. "Oh boy he's everywhere." Ryou bounced about. "I hope he doesn't forget about me."

Bakura glanced down at Malik who simply glanced up at him and smiled with a tilt of his head. "You want to talk with him too?" Bakura asked him, Malik glanced at the round red-suited man and shook his head no, he had had his fill of that particular man, but it seemed that Ryou just couldn't get enough of wanting to talking to him.

Ryou talked to Santa for a good ten minutes distracting the man from his work at hand, but playing the role of the Childs-icon he had no choice but to listen and take in every word spoken. "So you know where I live?" Santa just nodded his head. "Oh I have something for you." Ryou dug about in his pockets while still holding the lead, Milly had given up and was laying down on the sidewalk by his feet. Malik clung to Bakura's side half hiding and would buried his face into Bakura's side when the old man looked at him. Bakura sighed trying to be patient with his baby brother but knowing nothing would pull him away until he was good and ready. "I got you a candy stick." Ryou pulled it out and held it out; the Santa gave a look, unsure if he should take it. "Though you must eat them all the time, but this one is nice." Ryou smiled brightly as it was taken with a thank you and it had been the old mans first words in the ten minutes. The poor guy couldn't get a word in while Ryou was talking. "Bye!" Ryou waved to him, the Santa had looked relieved to see the child's back as he waved them off.

Bakura made them cross the road, making sure both boy's were keeping up with him and helping them to jump up the gutter on the other side. They pushed their way through the crowd of people just to get to the small shop and even then, Bakura found out that the line up was long to the cash register. "Alright lets do this." He led the two inside taking up a basket, Ryou bend down and picked the puppy up in his arms and carried her inside with grunts of effort as if the puppy weighed a ton.

Bakura walked about collecting the few things from the list and headed to the checkout, Ryou and Malik followed him; Ryou making sure Malik was keeping up when the other stopped to look at something. "Malik, you're going to be left… oh wow." Ryou had started out so strongly until he laid his eyes on the toy Malik was looking at and then noticed the wall was covered in small toys.

Ryou was suddenly knocked hard into the fixtures and he instantly started crying as the metal hooks cut through his jacket and jumper cutting into his arm. Bakura stopped instantly and looked back and noticed the guy walking towards him. "He pushed me!" Ryou cried out pointing to the other's retreating back.

Bakura dropped his basket and grabbed the guy by the back of his shirt and pulled him back to face him. "Hey you need to say sorry you hurt my…" His words died in his throat as he froze up on the spot.

"Well Bakura." The accent voice filled the now quiet shop. "Running into me like this, I have to wonder if you have the money." He turned his gray eyes back to the small boy's. Malik was glaring at him while hugging and trying to comfort Ryou.

"You know I don't have it, Valon." Bakura snapped, he kept his voice low and aware of the other people in the shop watching them. It had been the hat and the jacket that had stopped Bakura for recognizing the other or this could have been avoided.

"You blooding better… or." Valon turned back to look at Ryou. "We could always take it." Ryou broke from Malik's hold and rushed up to Bakura and throwing his arms about his waist still crying as the pain wasn't going away. Ryou glared up at the other and recognized him as one of the bad men, though Ryou didn't know him by name he knew him by face.

"Go away or I'm telling my Daddy on you." Bakura winced inwardly as Valon raised an eyebrow; Bakura wanted to leave Marik out of this.

"You have a Daddy now." He grinned amused and making it sound so much more then what it really was and leaving Bakura feeling dirty and a bad taste in his mouth.

"You know I don't have it, I'm not working…" Bakura growled as something blunt was jabbed into his side and he was pulled closer to the other, Ryou gasped as he was forced by the movement to let go of his brother.

"Lets go for a walk and have a little chat on just what you owe my boss for your little boat trip of freedom." He dug the object further into his side making Bakura wince and it had forced him to take a step forward. "Don't make me shoot you here."

Fuck it was a gun? Bakura glanced down trying to see it but again it was jabbed deeper into his side and Bakura knew it would bruise. "Not now, I have my brothers with me." Bakura growled out, not that he was a coward, but getting the beating of his life that would end him back in hospital or dead, and having the two little ones see it, was not what he had in mind. Bakura was pulled from the shop by gunpoint that the people around him failed to see.

"Don't worry my friend." Valon said all to sweetly and very friendly like. "If you don't have the money now, we break fingers and kneecaps." They stopped for a second as two others joined them. "You should know Alistar and Raphael." Valon grinned still keeping a tight hold on Bakura's arm and the gun deep in his side.

"How could I forget." Bakura paled, as his eyes landed on the much larger male of the group. With his injuries there was no way he could properly defend himself against them and there was no way he was going to come out of this one alive.

Ryou watched stood frozen in place as Bakura walked out with the other and soon saw two more joining them. He recognized them as well, they had been the ones that made Bakura sick so his brother couldn't go out and play with him. They started to take his brother further away from him and the store. Ryou panicked. "KURA!" He screamed out dropping the leash and running after them. Malik was shocked to find Ryou and Bakura leaving him behind.

Malik rushed over picking up Milly's lead before she could run off as well and started running after them, his eyes wide and he was shaking as he wasn't sure what was going on. The puppy yapped happily and easily keeping up with Malik's run, as the boy dodged about grown ups and managed to keeps his eyes on Ryou's back at the same time, he had a feeling that he really needed Marik here.

Malik stopped for a few short seconds as a large group of people walked in front of him cutting him off. Once they had passed he had lost sight of Ryou, panting out of breath he slowed down and took a slower walk while trying to see everything that might give away where Ryou and Bakura had gone.

Malik had reached the end of the shops and with less people around. He started to get very nervous at being out in the street all alone and no one with him, fear washed over him as thoughts of his father finding him here on his own… that was it! He was going home to get Marik, he didn't care if Ryou, Bakura or himself were going to get into trouble for this, he just wanted to go home before something bad happened.

Malik turned around and headed back the way he came pulling Milly along who looked like she had had enough walking. Malik tugged on the lead again in his silent command for her to follow him home. The puppy started to shake her head and managed to free herself and ran off. Malik instantly gave chase, stopping for a second as he heard a scream, the puppy seemed to be leading him towards the sound and Malik followed her down in between the buildings into an alleyway.

"STOP IT!" Ryou screamed out as Bakura was punched in the stomach, they stepped back a little as Bakura crumpled to the floor in pain and then was kicked in the side making him hit the wall behind him. "Don't!" Ryou cried out again he didn't know what to do and he wasn't going to leave Bakura's side no matter what.

"Twenty-G." Valon said his hands on his hips. "That's all and you'll be left alone." He sighed irritably as he watched Bakura trying to get up. "We can only do so much before we kill you and then… well we lose." He informed Bakura like it was some friendly business deal. "You don't pay us, we don't get paid, and the boss stays pissy at me and that…" He kicked Bakura back down to the ground to emphasize his point while yelling. "Pisses me off!" He growled out. "People like you think they can take our money and don't have to pay us back." All three of them then moved in on him, all laying in the kicks to his body wherever they could land them.

Ryou rushed forward and grabbed onto one of them about the leg and bit down as hard as he could, he had bitten the guy on his thigh. "LITTLE FUCKER!" It was Alistar that pulled the boy off his leg and backhanded him.

Ryou landed on his side crying out and holding his cheek, Bakura looked up as Valon and Raphael started to laugh and backed off for a minute. Holding his stomach as it was now bleeding out from his wound, took in a breath. "Get out of here!" Bakura barked at the two when he had gotten enough air into his lungs. Malik jumped, rushing in and grabbing Ryou and pulling him out back into the street with the puppy following them.

"Get him back here!" Valon growled out at the other two, Alistar was the only one to limp after the boy's.

"NOO!" Bakura tried to get up and stop him from going after Ryou and Malik, but he was kicked in the side sending him to the floor again.

"A little reminder that we are no charity." Valon knelt down in front of Bakura and pulled him into a sitting position and pulled Bakura's head back by his hair forcing him to look. "And if I have to kill the wee-one in front of you to get my point across, I will."

TBC

That's all I got for now, sad I know, I had the whole thing out in my head but this was all I could get out for now… but R&R it makes me oh so happy and I've been ever so good. (Love and Cookies)